Lesson Learned – Identify Your Brand and Sell It!

• You may not think of yourself in terms of a brand—and I did not either—but personal branding is an important element in marketing yourself to perspective employers. A personal brand can make you easily recognizable, emphasize your best skills and traits, give you a competitive edge, enhance your reputation and enable you to efficiently garner attention, expand your network and reach your goals. Many people have similar skills and work experience, but there is only one you. If you want to be the one to get the job, it helps to stand out by being a recognizable and reputable brand.


• Professionalize your social networking profiles. Fill out you LinkedIn and Facebook profiles as best and fully as you can, keeping in mind that you want your profiles to help you find a job. Don’t post anything or let anyone else post anything that might prevent you from getting a job!


• Create a unified marketing platform. Make your profiles consistent. Use the same photograph as your profile picture on your various social networking sites.


• Register your domain name. If your legal name is already taken, include your middle name, initial or other unique identifier.


• Start a blog related to your career, hobby or any passionate interest. Maintaining a blog demonstrates creativity, enthusiasm and discipline. A blog related to your chosen field of work can help you find a job and enhance your career.